The snail continued eating lettuce with zero acknowledgment.

"Did anything happen while I was gone?"

"Someone knocked on your door twice. I stayed quiet like you said."

"What about the others?"

"The blue one brought food to your door. Left it outside when you didn’t answer. The scary one with the knives walked by but didn’t stop."

I sighed.

"You counted."

"I was bored." She nuzzled against my neck. "When do I get to meet them properly?"

"Never."

"Rude."

"Necessary."

She pouted.

Actually pouted, her lower lip pushing out in a way that should’ve looked ridiculous but somehow just made her look more dangerous.

"Fine. But I’m going with you to training tonight."

"Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

"Because you’ll cause problems."

"I’ll be good."

"You don’t know how to be good."

Her grin was feral.

"True. But I can pretend."

A knock interrupted whatever terrible idea she was about to suggest next.

Three sharp raps.

Natalia’s rhythm.

"Hide. Now."

Maki stuck her tongue out at me.

But she transformed.

Her body blurred, contracted, and suddenly there was just a small black cat sitting on my bed, two tails curled primly around her paws.

I opened the door.

Natalia stood there, arms crossed, looking like she was about to deliver a lecture about responsibility and not dying stupidly.

"We need to talk."

"About?"

"Reyna. The duel. Your complete lack of survival instinct."

"My survival instinct is fine."

"Your survival instinct got you struck by lightning today."

Fair point.

I stepped aside.

Let her in.

She closed the door behind her, turned the lock, and leaned against the wood.

"Three days."

"I know."

"You’re injured."

"I’ll heal."

"Not enough."

She crossed the room.

Stood directly in front of me.

Close enough that I could smell the cold radiating off her skin.

Winter and ozone and something uniquely Natalia.

"Reyna’s been training for this her entire life. She has professional coaches. S-Rank equipment. And she’s been wanting to prove herself against someone like you since the Draft."

"Someone like me?"

"Someone who makes it look easy when it shouldn’t be." Her hand found my chest. Rested over the regenerator brace hidden beneath my shirt. "Someone who’s hiding something."

The words hung between us.

"You think she knows?"

"I think she suspects. And I think she’s going to push until she finds out what you really are."

I covered her hand with mine.

"Then I’ll have to make sure she doesn’t find out."

"How?"

"By winning."

"That’s not a plan."

"It’s a start."

She stared at me.

Then sighed.

"You’re impossible."

"You knew that already."

"Doesn’t make it less annoying."

On the bed, Maki-as-cat stretched and yawned, revealing tiny fangs.

Natalia noticed.

"Your cat’s awake."

"She sleeps a lot."

"Mm."

Natalia studied the cat with narrowed eyes.

Maki stared back.

Unblinking.

It was a standoff between a telekinetic ice queen and a two-tailed catgirl pretending to be an ordinary pet.

"She’s cute," Natalia finally said.

"She’s a menace."

"Most cute things are."

Natalia turned back to me.

Her expression shifted.

The mask dropped.

Just for a moment.

And I saw the fear beneath.

"Don’t lose," she whispered.

"I won’t."

"Promise me."

"Nat—"

"Promise."

I pulled her close.

Ignored the protest from my ribs.

"I promise."

She buried her face in my shoulder.

Stayed there for several heartbeats.

Then stepped back, composure restored.

"Good. Because if you die fighting La Sirena, I’m going to resurrect you just so I can kill you myself."

"Romantic."

"I try."

Then she was gone.

Leaving me alone with a shapeshifting familiar who definitely heard everything and was probably about to ask a thousand questions.

Maki transformed back into human form.

Still wearing my hoodie.

Still smiling.

"Your purple girl is scary."

"You have no idea."

"But she loves you. Like, wants-to-set-the-world-on-fire-for-you loves you."

"It’s complicated."

"No it’s not. She’s just scared of losing you. That’s simple." Maki hopped off the bed, bare feet padding across the floor. "The others are scared too. I can smell it. They all think you’re going to die fighting the electric princess."

"I’m not going to die."

"You might. She’s really strong. I can feel her Aspect from here. It’s like..." Maki paused, searching for words. "Like standing next to a storm that learned how to hate."

Encouraging.

"Can you fight?"

"Can I—" She looked genuinely offended. "Master, I’m a Platinum familiar. I can level city blocks with lightning. I’ve got nine lives. And I’ve killed things that would make your scary purple girl look like a kitten."

"So that’s a yes."

"That’s a obviously."

"Good. Because I might need backup."

Her eyes lit up.

They glowed gold for a second before dimming back to their usual hazel.

"You want me to come with you?"

"To training. Tonight. See what you can do."

"And if I accidentally fry someone?"

"Try not to."

"But if I do?"

"We’ll deal with it."

She grinned wide enough to show fangs.

"This is going to be so much fun."

Somehow, I doubted that.

1847 hours.

Thirteen minutes until training.

I stood in the basement gym, waiting for everyone to filter in.

Maki sat on the bench beside me in cat form, tail flicking with barely contained excitement.

The door opened.

Raphael entered first, his usual scowl firmly in place.

Then Marco and Malachi, inseparable as always.

Jaime bounded in shirtless, already flexing.

Hikari followed, her orange combat shorts riding low on her hips, her abs visible and defined from her relentless training regimen.

Isabelle arrived in full tactical gear despite this being just practice.

Always prepared.

Always professional.

Juan shuffled in last, looking like death warmed over.

"Why do we train at night," he mumbled. "Why can’t we train during normal human hours like civilized people."

"Because Braxton hates us," Raphael said.

"Braxton hates everyone," Skylar corrected, appearing in the doorway with her headphones around her neck.

Natalia entered next, her combat suit hugging every curve.

Emi bounced in behind her, already stretching.

Celeste walked in with Noah shadowing her, both in matching black tactical gear.

Akari sauntered in last, somehow making workout clothes look like lingerie.

She winked at me.

I pretended not to notice.

Braxton appeared exactly at 1900.

Not a second early.

Not a second late.

"Line up."